In Pakistan, ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party has conceded defeat in local polls in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Opposition parties have won 21 seats, while Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has secured six seats in the polls to elect mayors and other local government officials.
A spokesperson for the local election commission said counting for 34 other seats is underway, but provisional results show a similar trend. Khan’s party has won the past two provincial polls, as well as the last local body elections in the region. The final results will be announced on Dec. 24 or later. While national elections are only due in 2023, the loss in a party stronghold comes as Khan’s government grapples with the highest inflation along with low growth and high unemployment.